Made for This

This is my command: Love one another as I have loved you. John 15:12

Relationships are one of God’s greatest gifts. Think about your current relationships: family, spouse, friends, co-workers, neighbors. Where do you see a healthy connection? Where might you need to grow in humility, forgiveness, or communication? Now, consider the relationships —present or past —where you felt seen, heard, and loved. How did those make you feel?

At the very core of God's nature is relationship—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit existing in eternal communion. In the beginning of Scripture, when God created man, He said, “Let us make mankind in our image” (Genesis 1:26). That plural “us” reflects this divine relationship. To be made in God’s image means we are made for relationship, with Him and with one another.  

In Genesis 2, after He created Adam and placed him in the garden, He noticed that it was not good for the man to be alone. So, He formed the woman from the man and gave her to the man for a relationship. And God had communion with them. 

Even today, God pursues a personal, intimate relationship with each of us. That’s right, the God of the universe wants to be in relationship with you and me! How awesome is that? How would you describe your relationship with God today? (Non-existent, distant, growing, intimate)

God sent Jesus to earth to die for our sins and overcome death, but also to minister to people and set us an example for relational interactions.

1. He made deep personal connections. 

Jesus saw individuals, not just crowds. He called people by name and knew their stories.

2. He built community. 

Jesus chose disciples, His inner circle. And, He did not isolate Himself. He largely lived in community. 

3.He showed compassion and empathy and served others. 

Jesus loved people and helped them. He showed emotion. He broke cultural and religious barriers to show that people were seen and loved.

Turn in your Bibles to Luke 10 and read verses 1-12. In these verses, Jesus sent out the 72 to share the gospel and show His love to those they met. But notice that He did not send them out alone. He sent them in pairs because He knew the importance of doing life with others, especially with this particular assignment. 

Now look to the end of Chapter 10, and read verses 38-41. Here we see Jesus’ interactions with Martha and Mary. Martha was a worker bee. She was distracted with all the details. Can anyone relate? I can! Her sister, Mary, on the other hand, sat at Jesus’ feet, listened, and learned from Him. She simply spent time with Him. Jesus told Martha that she would do good to act as her sister, to not worry about those things that really do not matter, but instead spend time with Him. 

We weren’t meant to do life on our own. Real life, the kind filled with meaning, growth, and joy, happens in relationship with God and with people. Relationships are not optional, but essential. They do not always come easily, and even after they do, they can be challenging. But, in the end, they are so worth it! 

May we be reflections of God’s eternal nature in us and follow the example of Jesus and His interactions with others! When we treat others as Jesus did and get to know them closely, we can better minister to them. When we do that, others see the difference Jesus makes and will want what we have. We were made for this! 

Call to Action

Who is someone who invested in and made a difference in your life? How can you be that for someone today?

This week, choose one relationship where you can intentionally offer kindness, serve without recognition, or listen with compassion.

If you are looking to begin, rebuild, or deepen your relationships, consider these tips:

Take initiative. Make the first move. Be proactive. No need to wait for permission or perfect timing. Put yourself out there, which often comes with risk and requires courage.

Be intentional. Act with purpose. Think ahead and have a plan. Be deliberate in your awareness and action.

Make an investment. Pour your time, energy, care, and resources into another. Show up consistently. Be willing to assume the cost involved. 

Digging Deeper

Read these passages that show more examples of Jesus’ interactions with others: Zaccheus-Luke 19:1-10, Nicodemus-John 3:1-21, the woman at the well-John 4, the Canaanite woman-Matthew 15:21-28, the disciples after resurrection-John 21:1-14

Prayer

God, thank you for being a relational God who is pursuing a relationship with me. Help me to seek a close, intimate relationship with You and to make deep, meaningful relationships with others. Show me where I can deepen connection, bring healing, or simply be more present in my relationships. Amen. 

Copyright © 2025 Kyle Cravens